


Finding Hope

by NEStar



Category: Alice (TV 2009)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-04-23 15:38:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19153969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NEStar/pseuds/NEStar
Summary: After the fall of the Queen Wonderland must find a new way and Duchess must find comfort in an old name.Originally written: Nov 2011





	1. Chapter 1

The study had long ago grown dark, but Jack was determined to read the latest round of arrest reports that had been delivered today. A prickling sensation on the top of his head caused him to look up and there, just at the edge of the light cast by the lamp on his desk, stood his mother.

She was dressed not as he remembered from the last time he saw her, but in the style she had worn when he was still a small boy – a black and white dress with a form fitting top, a full skirt and a high neck. Her hair was done up and her crown, something she hadn't worn since she become obsessed with the emotion teas, was woven into it.

Jack lept to his feet, “What are you doing here?”

The Queen just stared at him.

“How did you get in?” he asked, then quickly followed up with, “How did you get out?”

The Queen continued to say nothing, but her eyes followed Jack as he moved towards her. The look that she had on her face was one of disgust. Just before Jack reached her she finally spoke, “You are such a disappointment”.

Jack awoke with a start.

His neck was covered in sweat, he could feel his shirt sticking to his chest and back and his legs were tangled in his bed clothes.

After freeing himself from the sheets he made his way across the room to the attached bathroom. He stared at the sink as it filled with cool water, once it was half-filled he closed his eyes and shoved his head under the water. After a moment he came up, gasping for air and shaking water drops across the room.

Looking at his reflection in the mirror he heard the echo of his mother's voice.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The new King's Council room was nothing like it's counterpart in the casino had been.

Where as the council room at the casino had been large with all white lights and mind teasing black patterns – a room built to cower any that came in to it – the council room that Jack now used was small (in truth he could barely fit the whole council in to it at the same time) with navy blue walls and neat white trim around the door. There was no table, just his desk at the one end and an array of leather chairs.

Right now a quarter of the chairs were filled by members of the committee which oversaw the dispersal of food through out the kingdom.

"It should have been avoided," Jack said. "The fact that a storehouse of food went bad -- I can't even begin to fathom how that can happen in a land were people are starving."

"You're Majesty, there simply is no commutation taking place between the different regions." An Eight of Clubs said.

"Not even between towns in different sectors of the same region," A Seven added. 

"The tea riots left people scared, sire," The Eight continued.

"By god, I won't just sit by and let my subjects die," Jack exclaimed, leaping from his chair. "I don't care if I have to go out and deliver the supplies myself, this will stop!"

"Might I suggest a smaller step first, your Majesty?" A minor Heart spoke up.

"Yes, of course," Jack said with a distracted wave of his hand.

"Why not host a summit?" The Heart said. "Get the local leaders to talk to each other."

"We tried that two months after the casino fell," A six of Spades cut in, "Everyone talked and talked and every word they said was a lie."

At the head of the room Jack began to pace, "Well then, we will just have to make sure we know what the truth is before the summit."

"Your Majesty?" 

"Yes," Jack turned to the room, "I will order a Royal Survey. I want teams riding out to all the towns and villages in Wonderland. Find out what people are there, what their needs are and what they have to bargain with. At the same time they will spread news of the summit." He returned to his seat with some thing approaching a smile on his face.

"It could work, sir."  
"Would need to be careful in the selections of the surveyors..."  
"A Club to handle to paperwork side of things..."

The room broken in to small knots of conversation, identifying and attempting to solve any problems they could think of.

"Well then, if everyone is happy here," Jack rose from his seat and walked towards the door.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The rest of his morning had been filled with one endless meeting, as one Club replaced another with hundreds of documents that only he could sign and questions only he could answer.

“I can't do this any more,” he said suddenly, causing the Club that was standing at his side to step back in shock. 

“Your Majesty?”

“I need a break,” he said in an attempt to smooth the Club's bruised ego, “I'm going for a walk – alone!” he added as a Spade moved to follow him.

The walk was just what he needed. A few moments of quite to settle his thoughts and get rid of some of the nervous energy that had built up.

Turning past a tree he was shock to see Alice standing in front of him. “What's wrong?” he asked, his voice full of concern. “Did some thing happen to the mirror? Are you alright?”

The sound of leaves rustling caused him to look up from Alice, and there, at the edge of the trees, was his mother.

She was dressed in the same black and white dress that she had been wearing in his dream two nights ago, her hair done up with her crown set on top.

“Mother?”

The Queen held out her hand and Alice walked over to stand next to her.

“What's going on here?” Jack asked.

“God, Jack,” Alice said, “What a disappointment you are.”

Jack awoke with a start.

After freeing himself from the sheets he made his way across the room to the attached bathroom. He stared at the sink as it filled with cool water, once it was half-filled he closed his eyes and shoved his head under the water. After a moment he came up, gasping for air and shaking water drops across the room.

Looking at his reflection in the mirror he could see that dark circles had formed under his eyes. Stepping back away from the sink, he pressed his back to the tile wall and heard the echo of Alice's voice joined with his mother's.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jack was hesitant to go to bed that night. The dreams of the last few nights had left him shaken.

“What I need to be is well and truly tired.” he said to himself “I sit at a desk all day, there must be too much nervous energy left over.”

With that he turned and walked out of his room, making for the gym that the Spades had set up.

The room was quite and only dimly light (Spades, after all, were always very early risers) so Jack had the space all to himself. He walked over to a treadmill and began at a light jog.

After fifteen minutes he increased the pace to a full run and let the rhythm of the tread being pulled around its wheels and the thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump of his feet lull his mind away from all the nagging questions of that day.

After an hour of running, Jack felt truly bone weary. Stepping off of the treadmill, he took a long drink of water from the bottle he had brought with him before wiping his face with a towel.

“Well done lad.”

Dropping the towel, Jack spun to see who was in the room with him.

“Nice form, you got that from me you know.” 

There, in the shadows, sitting on a weight bench was his father. 

“Oh, you might not believe it now, but back in my day I was quite the dandy. There were several girls that had set their caps at me. But I only had eyes for you're mother.”

“And a fat lot of good it did us.” His mother stepped out from behind a punching bag. “Just look at him, Winston, your son.”

“Yes my sweetie, he is a looker just like his old man.” his father said with a wink.

“No, no, no. You fool.” his mother said, the anger in the her voice coming to the forefront. “Look at what he's done with the kingdom.”

“Oh, yes, that.”

“Yes, that.”

“Well...” He father got up and walked over to him, “I mean, what else could you have done? It's not as if you've sent the whole kingdom teetering to the brink of disaster.”

“That is exactly what he has done, Winston,” his mother called out.

“Oh really?” He father looked at him for a moment be fore going on, “Oh, well – now that is disappointing.”

Jack awoke with a start.

“Well, shit.”

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“Sire?”

Jack awoke with a start, “What? Yes? What?” he had fallen asleep at his desk.

“I'm sorry, sire, but the first reports from the survey teams had come in,” a Six of Clubs gingerly set a folder on the corner of the desk before backing towards the door. He slipped out before Jack even had a chance to pick up the report.

“Who was that?” Jack looked up to see Stonebridge, his personal Ten of Spades, standing in the door way. “I don't think I've ever seen a Club run so quickly.”

“It was a Six and he found me asleep at my desk,” Jack admitted.

Stonebridge looked at him for a moment and then let out a laugh. “The poor kid,” he said after he managed to collect his breath, “I don't think there's an entry in the handbook about the proper etiquette for waking a monarch who's napping in his office. I think you have to be at lest an Eight before they cover that.”

“I'm glad you find the situation humorous, since I have live for your enjoyment.” Jack said dryly as he tried to focus on reading the report.

“It's the Club I found funny,” the Spade pulled a chair over to the side of the desk and sat down, “You falling asleep in the middle of work; that I find worrying.”

Jack felt his eyebrows rise in shock, “You're worried because some dry report on the annual crop harvest totals for the western Spatha region over the last fifteen years.”

The Ten gave him a look that, for a second, Jack could have sworn was very disrespectful indeed. “I have noticed that over the past week you have seemed...” he paused for a second – Jack could only imagine he was searching for a tactful way to continue – and then said “like a tea head who's about to flip.”

Well, maybe not that tactful after all. But Jack understood the sentiment behind it. Stonebridge was one of his closest body guards and the man that saw more of his personal life then any one else.

Jack rubbed a hand over his face, “It feels like I'm going from one emergency to the next, trying to do something, to help in some way, but all I accomplish is to wear myself out.”

“Can I suggest something” Stonebridge asked.

“Go ahead,” Jack said with a sigh as he leaned back in his chair.

“When you were with the resistance you were more of a foot solider, you were on the ground doing things.” the guard glanced at him, as if to gage Jack's reaction to what he was saying, “But since you've become King you are removed from the action, as it were. You don't get to see the effects your action have.”

“So I need to remember that my actions have effect, even if I'm not there to see them.” Jack said.

“Well, honestly – no.” he corrected. “I would suggest that you take a few days, get out from behind this desk and see the effects for yourself.”

Jack sat up, intrigued by what the Spade had just said.

“And it could be even more of a help.” Stonebridge continued, “All the Clubs talk about is that the Survey is under staffed.”

The plan began to role through his mind. A Royal Surveyor, out in the countryside – among the people. Learning what they needed, what they truly cared about, what he could do to help!

“Stonebridge, you are a genius!” he said, pushing away from the desk and springing to his feet. “That's just what I need, a week – or maybe two – away from this blasted desk and out in the open! It will be perfect, just the two of us, seeing Wonderland and meeting her people!”

“The two of us sir?” he echoed back.

“Are you suggesting I go completely alone?” Jack asked.

“Hell, no.” Stonebridge said emphatically, “Do you have any idea how much I hate wearing this tie?”


	2. Chapter 2

The sun rise over the Morataian Pass was breath taking. First the sky changed from black to dark blue, then from dark blue to the most amazing shade of pink. The mountains stood out in dark contrast until, suddenly, gold flashed at the tips and spilled creepers of sunlight running down the sides.

In a small glad about halfway up the mountain side was a camp site. Sitting in front of a tent was – it seemed – the only man who was watching this spectacle of nature. 

When the line of brightening dawn finally made it's way to him and began warming his face he reached behind him and pulled back the flap of the tent. “Rise and Shine, Ten! It looks like it's going to be a beautiful day in Wonderland!”

From inside the tent came a loud groan and Stonebridge step out into the sunlight.

“What time is it?” he asked.

“Oh, almost six o' clock,” Jack answered with a grin. “Do you want your eggs scrambled or over– easy?” he asked.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Higher up on the mountain, the town of Cranton was already awake.

In pens through out the town young boys were crouching next to goats, gathering the milk for the morning meal. In hen houses young girls were digging into piles of hay to find eggs. In kitchens women were sifting together flour and spices. In the barns men were tending to horses and oxen.

And in the great house Miss Hope was asleep at her desk.

The door to her office opened with a bang and she jerked upright, a sheet of paper sticking to her face. 

“Oh, miss, how many times must I tell you to go to your bed?” An older woman holding a tray stood framed by the door way. Her build was slim, but soft, and her hair was dark brown hair and just starting to have streaks of gray in it. “It's won't help the school if you aren't getting enough sleep.”

“Good morning to you to, Marian.” Hope said as she tried to gently peel the paper off her face.

I mean it, miss,” she said as she set the tray down on a side table, “Proper, in a bed, type sleep.”

Hope stood up and raised her arms over her head to stretch out her back, “I promise, tonight I will go to sleep in my own bed.”

Marian looked at hard for a moment before saying, “And at a reasonable time?”

“And at a reasonable time,” Hope echoed.

“Good,” Marian nodded her head decisively. “Well then, let's get you your breakfast before it's time to start lessons.”

“You don't have to do that, Marian.” Hope said as she made he way to the door. “I'll just eat with the children after I get changed.”

“You'll do no such thing,” Marian said, picking up the tray and following Hope in to the hall way. “You would end up with half of a piece of cold toast.”

“I can survive skipping a meal or two,” Hope called out as she entered her room. “The children need to eat as much as they can.”

“Do you even know how many meals you have skipped this week, Miss Hope?” Marian asked putting the tray down on the foot of the unslept in bed. “Four! And the week's only half through!” The maid nearly shook with anger. 

“There is just so much too be done,” Hope replied as she pulled on a clean shirt, “What with clean up from the fire and all.”

“That's just it, miss.” Marian grabbed hold of Hope's hand and forced the younger woman to look at her. “It was a wild fire. Wild. Not your fault.” Marian pulled her in to a hug. “You've done brilliantly, your father would have been so proud of you. But it's time to let go. No one was hurt, the rebuilding is going well...”

“But the harvest,” Hope cut in.

“The harvest will be what it will be.” Marian answered, “Just like every other year.” In the embrace of her arms she could feel Hope sigh. “Now then, you are going to eat everything I put on this tray. You will have a proper bath and only after that will you go down to the school rooms.” 

“But the children --”

“The children will be happy as a pig with pepper.” Marian cut her off. “Now go on, today is an important day for Wonderland – I can feel it!”

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Stonebridge brought the jeep around one more bend and came to a stop. The two men got out and look at the town spread out in front of them. The mid – morning sun was reflecting in the fountain in the center of the green and illuminated the hustle and bustle.

“Where are we this time, sir?” Stonebridge asked.

“Craton,” Jack answered. “Capital of the Didam region. Run by a council of Ealdormen. It's main exports are minorium – big M, little t – in previous years the bulk of it went over the pass in to the Outer Zone, but when Walrus started to use it in the tea refinery all transports to the Outer Zone were canceled.”

“Well, that was way more information then I needed” Stonebridge said with a nod of his head, “but let's go into town and find us an Ealdorman.”

The two men climbed back into the jeep and the Spade was just about the start it when he turned to Jack, “Wait a second, Cranton... In the last village, weren't they saying that we should talk to a Miss Hope who lived in Craton?”

“You find the Ealdorman,” Jack said, “I'll find this Miss Hope.”

Stonebridge just grinned and started the engine, then he pulled out with a force that made Jack hold on to the dashboard for dear life.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

“Caroline! Janna!” Hope stood at the bottom of the kitchen stairwell and yelled up, “Come down now!”

“Those two are such peas-in-a-pod,” Marian said, shaking her head as she kneaded dough for that day's bread “You would think that they were the ones that shared a womb.”

“Yes, well I need to get going.” Hope said after a moment, “Once they've finished with whatever mischief it is they're getting into and finally come down, would you send Janna along?” 

Marian answered with a nod, “You can be sure of it, love.” 

Carefully closing the bottom of the battered blue dutch door behind her, Hope walked across the work yard of the Manor House to the path that led through an arch in the east side of the hedge.

“Miss Hope! Miss Hope!” a voice called out to her from the small barn in the far corner of the yard.

Turning in surprise, Hope answered back, “Lucy?”

“Oh Miss Hope!” the oldest of the three girls that lived at the manor house, Lucy came running out of the barn with tear tracks on her cheeks. “You have to come quickly, it's the piglet!”

With Lucy pulling on her hand, Hope walked in to the barn. There, laying on the floor, in a corner was the piglet. It had been born only two months before and it was the runt of the litter, which was why it had been offered to the manor house – there were enough children to watch over it properly and if it died anyway, well it was just a runt after all.

But poor Lucy had taken one look and fallen in love with the tiny creature – to the point of naming it Cheshire. Every day she had feed it warm milk with a rag, she had managed to tie a small blanket around it to keep it warm, she had cleaned after it and washed it.

And now it was sick.

Hope gathered the girl into her arms. “It's alright, it will be alright,” she whispered, having no idea if the pig was even alive still, “We'll move Cheshire into the kitchen with Marian and then we'll send for Doc Cottle to come over and have a look.” She rubbed the girl's back until she could feel the tears stop.

After a moment Lucy pulled away and wiped at her face with the back of her hand, “Really?”

“Yes, really, now fetch up Cheshire and get him into the kitchen,” Hope said, “The wash your face and come along to school.”

“Yes, ma'am,” Lucy said, already cradling the piglet tenderly.

Walking briskly back to wards the hedge she muttered to her self, “Heaven save us from dying pigs. There couldn't be any bigger emergency.”

As she cut across the corner of the the town green her attention was caught by a group of men talking at the guild hall door, but she pushed her curiosity away as she climbed the steps to the school.

Before she had reached her desk however, Mark, Jason and a few other boys came in talking loudly about the Royal Survivor that had just arrived into town that morning!

Mischievous girls, dying pigs and now a Royal paper-pusher, “A great day for Wonderland, indeed!” she muttered.


	3. Chapter 3

Jack walked slowly through the town, taking note of the different buildings. On the south end of the town's green was the Ducal Manor House. Facing the green was an old style manor with newer wings coming off at angles on either side of it. It was surrounded by a thick hedge of medium height.

The west side of the green was a collections of small shops and collapsed booths, which he assumed were used on market days.

On the north side of the green – completely dominating that side – was a huge one-story building that was home to the guild offices, the town's sheriff and the long hall that served any number of uses.

The east side was home to a large church and the school house. 

He and Stonebridge had already talked with several of the guild leaders that morning and as the sun climbed overhead the Spade had, surprisingly, left Jack to “find the lay of the land” while he went to find them rooms (which was really code for “cool off with a pint”) at the local tavern. The bell over the school rang out and a crowd of children suddenly appeared, running into the school. After a moment, Jack decided to head in that direction as well.

He didn't want to disrupt the class, so Jack stayed on the porch and watched through one of the windows. The school was just one room, but it was large enough give some space between the younger and older students. At the moment the smaller children had their heads bent over their desks, working on an assignment while the teacher – a woman dressed simply in a brown calf-length skirt with a blue shirt and her hair covered with a snood the same brown as her skirt – stood in the middle of the room, reading out a lesson to the older class.

Jack listened for a moment and figured out that the teacher was giving a history lesson, but he was surprised to hear the subject of the lesson was the tea-party that took place during the adventures of Alice of Legend.

“The table was a large one, but the three were all crowded together at one corner of it: `No room! No room!' they cried out when they saw Alice coming. `There's PLENTY of room!' said Alice indignantly, and she sat down in a large arm-chair at one end of the table.” she walked slowly up the aisle as she continued to read.  
“`Have some wine,' the March Hare said in an encouraging tone.  
Alice looked all round the table, but there was nothing on it but tea. `I don't see any wine,' she remarked.  
`There isn't any,' said the March Hare.  
`Then it wasn't very civil of you to offer it,' said Alice angrily.  
`It wasn't very civil of you to sit down without being invited,' said the March Hare.”

The incident wasn't a widely taught – it had been Caterpillar who had told him about it – and the text this woman was using was the even rarer Lewis version which had been written in the odd poetic allegorical style that had been only briefly popular right after the time of Alice of Legend.

The teacher looked up from the book and asked the class, “What do you think the writer means by the March Hare's offer of wine?”  
As one of the students began to stutter out an answer about the strict sumptury laws of that time, Jack slowly crept away from the window and down the stairs.

He didn't know which way the land laid yet, but he was sure that this teacher would be an important landmark in it.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The piglet was only two months old but Hope knew that the children had become very attached to it – the pig needed to live.

“We need a way to hold it still,” Doc Cottle, the vet, said and Hope had sent one of the older children for an old blanket.

A moment latter Mark came running back in to the kitchen blanket, and several other children, trailing behind him, “Here it is, here it is!”

“Thank you, Mark,” she said, taking the blanket from him and looking it over to ensure that it was indeed an old blanket. “Now round up the little ones and go back to the class room.”

“Awe!” The sound of disappointment echoed from the group, but they did – very slowly – turn around and leave the room.

“Okay, doc,” She said holding out the blanket, “What's next?”

“Here,” The vet picked the sick piglet up from its spot on the floor. “Just be sure that you wrap the pig up tight.”

Together, Hope and the vet managed to securely tuck the pig in, then Hope sat down and held the pig while the doctor pulled a length of tubing out from his black bag. 

The doctor rubbed a bit of oil on to one end of the tube and then grabbed the pig's jaw. Using his fingers of one hand to pry the pig's mouth open, with the other hand he began to feed the tube into the pig's mouth and then down it's throat.

The piglet started to thrash as the tube made its way down to it's gullet and Hope tightened her hold. But when the doctor started to pour a bottle of some kind of foul smelling liquid in to the tube the pig went crazy. Hope twisted to hold on and ended up with her right leg thrown over the bottom half of piglet.

The bottle was emptied and the vet began to pull the tube back out of the peg's mouth, when a shadow fell across the door.

Hope looked up to see a man standing in the door way to the backyard. He was tall, with a solid build that spoke off physical training. He had sandy colored hair and eyes a shade of bright blue that hunted her dreams – both at night and the few she allowed herself during the day.

“I'm so sorry,” he said, “I can see that this is probably the worst time ever.”

“Oh, no need to scoot yet,” the vet said, “I'm done here. Just a bit of clean up and then I'm all yours.”

“Oh, no...” The man at the door said awkwardly, “I was sent here to talk with a Miss Hope. My name is Evan. Evan Kay, I'm a surveyor for the Royal Court and the folk in the village said that she was the one to talk to.”

“Ah, well then,” The vet looked at her when she failed to respond.

“Oh, yes, Hope. That's me,” she said haltingly as she untangled herself from the piglet. Just as she moved to put the piglet back down on the floor it gave a mighty sneeze.

“Wow, what did you give that pig? Liquid pepper?” Evan asked as he picked up a towel from the table and held it out to Hope.

“Thank you,” she said as she made her way to her feet before wiping her face. 

“Well, I'll be back tomorrow to check on the pig,” Doc Coddle said as he made his way out the door.

Accepting what fate had dealt her Hope turned around, still covered in pig snot, and said, “What can I do for you?”

“Well, like I said, I'm part of the Royal Survey. There's going to be a kingdom-wide summit next month and I'm part of the advanced planing team. We're going all over Wonderland, into the small towns and villages, like this one, to find out what the people are most concerned with, what their biggest needs are and where they are excelling.” He explained.

Hope nodded, “I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but why are you talking to me?”

“Oh,” His eye brows shot up, “I did speak with several of the town's council members and they all said that had to be sure and speak with you. That you had helped with the tea-heads right after the fall of the market, and then you started up this orphanage and were generally the best person to know about what Didam needed.”

“Well, someone had to.” She said rather curtly. “Look, I don't know what everyone told you, but I really don't do all that much aside from helping with the children.” A crash sounded from the hallway that lead out of the kitchen, “And speaking of the children, I need to go.” She held out her hand, “I hope you find what you are looking for. Now could you see yourself out?” 

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jack was left feeling odd. True, since he had taken on the persona of Evan Kay people had treated very differently – the last time he had been treated this casually was back on the other side of the mirror – but the way that the school teacher had brushed him off.

“Well, you did catch her at an inopportune moment. The woman was covered in pig snot for heavens sake!”

But even before the pig had sneezed... She had been wary of him since the moment she had first spotted him standing in the door way.

Shrugging, he made his way back to the inn. Overall it had been a good day and maybe this Miss Hope would be in a batter mood tomorrow.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“Miss Hope, Miss Hope, tell us a story!”

“A story?” Hope looked around at the girls huddled in their beds, “What kind of story do you want?”

Little Janna piped up, “What was your favorite story when you were small?” she asked.

“Well...” Hope had to think for a moment. “Once upon a time, there was a girl who's mother had died.”

“WAIT!” Carolina, the smallest girl wiggled out from under her blanket, “We need to get the boys!” She slide down from the bed and thump – thump – thumped her way down the hall.

After a moment the three boys came in to the room, with Mark carrying Carolina on his hip. “What's all this about you getting a story with out us?” He asked. “That's just not fair!” he said as he swung Carolina over her bed where she fell with a small thunk and a loud giggle.

“No horse play,” Hope said sternly. “Now settle in and I'll start over.”

The boys quickly found spots – squishing in to what ever space they could manage to wiggle away from the girls.

“Once upon a time there was a girl named Diamond Bright – who's mother had died,” she began. “For many years she lived happily with her father in their little home in the woods, until one day – while she and her father were eating their breakfast – there came the sounds of horses in the yard.”

The children gave an appropriate gasp.

“You see the land were this girl lived was ruled by a Queen who was very vain and also a very powerful witch.”

“Boo!”

“In her most secret room in the castle, the queen kept a magic mirror. Every day she would visit the mirror and ask it – mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?”

“What's a ferris?” Janna asked.

“Fairest,” Hope corrected her with a smile. “It means pretty.”

“Oh.”

“So the queen would ask – mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?” the children chimed in with her. “Right, and every day the mirror would say, 'You are, my queen.' and the queen would smile and go away happy. But then one day when she asked – ” she paused.

“Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all!” the children supplied.

“The mirror answered, 'Fair to see is my lady queen, but there is one now fair then thee.” Hope looked at around at the children, “Can you guess who it was?”

“Diamond Bright, Diamond Bright!” the children answered.

“That's right,” Hope said. “And this made the queen so mad that she ordered her guards to find the girl. But this wasn't the first time the mirror had told the queen the name of someone else, oh no, there had been three other girls. And each time the mirror had given her a name she had sent her guards out with a spell to capture the girl and lock her away for all time.

The first girl the guards tracked down when she was in a field of clover. The spell froze her and turned in to a statue shaped liked a clover.

The second girl was found in the woods and the spell locked her away in the heart of a tree – the leaves of which were shaped like hearts.

The third girl was found in a city and the spell turned her in to a sharp spear of metal.”

The children leaned forward – eyes wide with the description of the queens wickedness. 

“So when Diamond Bright and her father heard the horses come riding in to the yard they knew what was happening. Thinking quickly, her father ordered Diamond Bright to run through the hills and to the safety of the mine. The girl obeyed, but as she reached the top of the hill she turned around. Looked down at her house she saw her father fighting the guards – and losing. She watched as the guards swords struck her father down.”

By this time most of the girls were crying and a few of the boys eyes were misty.

“With her fathers last words ringing in her ears, she began to run towards the local mine. But she was to late – the guards had unleashed the spell.

It came racing towards her in a dark cloud that overtook at the entrance to the mine – and then engulfed her.

When the cloud cleared all that was left was a large diamond.”

Several of the children gasped and Hope felt slightly bad about what she knew she had to say next.

“And now it's really time for you to go to sleep.”

“No!” a loud chorse of disappointed voice called out.

“You'll get the rest tomorrow,” she said as she ushered the boys out of the room.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hope picked up the tray and slowly walked up the stairs to her father's study (she still couldn't think of it as hers). Reaching the room she placed the tray down on the sideboard, removed the quilted cozy from over the tea pot and placed it on the tray. A rich jasmine scent spilled from the pot and filled the room as she turned over a tea cup and calmly placed a single cube of sugar into it. Picking up the cozy again and using it as a pot holder she slowly pored the tea into the cup. As the hot liquid hit it, the sugar cube melted. Hope gently set the tea pot back on it's coaster, unfolded the cozy and placed it back over the tea pot, then, picking up the steaming tea cup, she walked over to the desk and sat down.

“Well, that was a surprise.” she said.

She brought the tea cup up and blew softly over the surface of the hot liquid.

“I mean, that was quite a surprise.”

She blew on the tea once again.

“To look up and to see him standing there...”

She took a sip of the tea.

“Fuck.”

The tea cup flew across the room, spilling the hot liquid onto the floor before shattering into a hundred tiny shards.

At the desk Hope dropped her head on to her arms and sobbed.


	4. Chapter 4

Jack woke up with the sun in is face. For the first night in weeks he slept the whole night and couldn't – for the life of him – remember what he had dreamed about. Sitting up in bed he started to stretch, just enjoying the feeling of being rested.

That feeling lasted for about a minute more, until Stonebridge threw a towel at him and said he had better move it if he wanted a hot shower. That was motivation enough to get out of bed.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Across the town, Hope sat on her bed – her knees pulled up to her chest and her face a blotched patchwork of red and white.

There was a soft knock on the door and a moment later it open just enough to let Marian slip in to the room.

“Oh, poppet,” she said softly as she crossed the room.

Hope choked back a sob as Marian's arms moved to engulf her.

“What do I do, Marian?” she asked between sobs, “How can I see him, talk to him like he's just any other...”

“Hush now, love,” the older woman said, “You can hide under my apron if you want – like you did when you were small.”

Hope managed a weak laugh, “I don't think you own an apron big enough to hide me.”

Marian loosened her hold just enough to pull a handkerchief from the sleeve of her dress, “Well then, why don't you skip out the back after classes and talk to your parents about it?” she said as she dried Hope's face. “I'll even pack you an extra large lunch bag so you can stay out as long as you need.”

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Walking through Cranton as the sun climbed higher in to the sky, Jack was struck by how peaceful it was. The town had seen its share of hardships for sure – some of the Ealdormen had talked about a wild fire last month that had come dangerously close to the town – but it still managed to hold on to it's hope that things could get better.

As Jack walked around the green – coming towards the school house – he could hear the sounds of the younger class reciting.

_"Twinkle, twinkle, little bat!  
How I wonder what you're at!  
Up above the world you fly,  
Like a tea-tray in the sky.”_

There was a short pause and then another set of voices began to sing.

_"Will you walk a little faster?" said a whiting to a snail.  
"There's a porpoise close behind us, and he's treading on my  
tail.  
See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance!  
They are waiting on the shingle--will you come and join the  
dance?_

_Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the  
dance?  
Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the  
dance?_

_"You can really have no notion how delightful it will be  
When they take us up and throw us, with the lobsters, out to  
sea!"  
But the snail replied "Too far, too far!" and gave a look  
askance--  
Said he thanked the whiting kindly, but he would not join the  
dance.  
Would not, could not, would not, could not, would not join  
the dance.  
Would not, could not, would not, could not, could not join  
the dance._

_`"What matters it how far we go?" his scaly friend replied.  
"There is another shore, you know, upon the other side.  
The further off from England the nearer is to France--  
Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the dance._

_Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the  
dance?  
Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the  
dance?"_

“My god,” Jack said, “The Lobster Quardrille.” Memories of long afternoons spent in the ball room with the royal dance master flashed back to him. “Who is this woman?”  
NEED MORE – SCHOOL IS LET OUT AND JACK SEES HOPE LEAVING FROM THE BACK DOOR AND FOLLOWS AFTER HER.  
Just then the doors to the school opened and a large group of children came running out. Jack waited until the crowd cleared before making his way to the steps of the school when he was stunned to find the doors not only closed, but locked as well.

Going back down the steps, Jack was puzzled. He had seen the doors open, had seen only children come out, so where had the teacher gone to?

A soft thump from behind the school building drew his attention and he made his way to around just in time to see the same woman from the manor house yesterday – the mysterious Miss Hope that everyone kept telling him about. 

Somehow the fact that she was the school teacher seemed to fit.

She was dressed much differently than the last time he had seen her. Then she had been wrapped in an over-sized apron and holding a pig, now she was wearing a light dress with a pattern of green and yellow over it with her hair was bound back by a pale green scarf and carrying a dark brown nap-sack from one shoulder

He watched for a second – expecting her to head back towards the hedge that blocked off the back of the manor from view. But instead she slipped between a row of trees and headed away from the town.

Intrigued with this woman who had no trouble wrestling pigs or finding meaning in obscure history books or teaching a court dance to a group of mountain youngsters, Jack found himself following her out of the town and high up the mountain.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hope sighed as she climbed the rough path up the hill side. She had cut all her ties to the Heart's Court when she left the casino (it had been such a shock) and she had never imagined that someone from the court would ever make the climb to Cranton.

She stopped for a moment to catch her breath and that's when she heard it – the sound of someone coming up the path behind her.

"Miss Hope!"

This couldn't be happening. She had climbed here to hide and here was the Royal Surveyor following along after her.

"I didn't think you could hear me," he said as he caught up with her.

She forced a tight smile, "Well I had thought I was alone."

"Am I taking you away from anything?" he asked with a raise of his eyebrows.

She looked around for a second, trying desperately to think of some excuses to be rid of him. 

He smiled at her, "Well?"

Cursing herself that nothing had come to her she said, "No, nothing important."

"Wonderful!" he said with a smile and for a second Hope felt her own mouth moving to mimic it. "I've had several people tell me that to truly know the needs of this region then I have to speak with Miss Hope at the Children's Home. They failed to mention that you are also the town teacher."

The shock and sorrow that she had felt since she had first seen him standing in her kitchen doorway yesterday came flooding back and turned into a huge ball of anger and pain and rage.

If he wanted to do this little charade then she would be more than happy to play along.

"Well, I thought that I should make some kind of use of what I learned at the casino." she said as she turned back to the path and continued the climb.

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It was as if someone had thrown a large bucket of cold water in his face. She had been at the casino? What if she recognized him?

Somehow managing to keep his voice steady he asked, "You worked at the casino?" 

"Well of course, practically all of the women from the region worked there," she replied.

"Really? From my survey so far the region seems fairly stable," he said, "I'm surprised there was a need."

She stopped walking, "It wasn't a need." She turned around and gave him a hard look, "Once a year the Queen sent in her guards to take whatever women they thought were pretty and bring back the ones who no longer measured up to the Queen's standers." 

She spun back around and continued up the path.

This bit of news rocked Jack back on his feet. His mother had ordered something like that?

Racing to catch up, Jack was startled when he rounded the next corner in the path and came out in a meadow. 

Across the clearing from him, Miss Hope was kneeling by two stone markers.

"What is this place?" he asked quietly.

For a minute it was silent and Jack started to wonder if she had heard him, but before he could reissue his question her voice broke through the clearing.

"It started about eleven, maybe twelve, years ago." she said, never taking her focus off of the markers, "Cranton was started as a mining town. It was the only place in all of Wonderland that could find trans–electric stones. There were a few mines in the Outer Zone, but nothing like the quality of the Cranton mine. Our biggest find was the Stone of Wonderland."" She looked up at him and smiled sadly, "But that was over one-hundred years ago and eventually the mine had to be shut down."

She picked up her bag from the spot on the ground next to her and pulled out a small bundle of golden flowers.

"Every year my father and I would come up here. I would bring the flowers and he would recite." She bent down and placed the flowers at the foot of the markers. 

_"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?  
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:  
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,  
And summer's lease hath all too short a date:  
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,  
And often is his gold complexion dimmed,  
And every fair from fair sometime declines,  
By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed:  
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,  
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,  
Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade,  
When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st,  
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,  
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee."_

Jack didn't know what to call the feeling that pulled at his chest. It was parts melancholy and empathy, mixed with a bit of wonder that she had allowed him in to this moment.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Miss Hope ignored his comment and instead continued her history lesson. "When she started the casino, the Queen came to Cranton and commanded that the Duke reopen the mine and find her more trans-electric stones so she could open more mirrors. The Duke told her that nothing has been found in the mine since the day of his great-grandfather, but she wouldn't hear that. All she would understand was that someone was telling her that she couldn't have the thing she wanted. So she simply called the Duke a traitor and had him executed."

Jack knew that the Duke of Didam had been separated from his head a long time ago, but he hadn't ever bothered to learn why. He felt guilty about it now, but it had never been information that was necessary for the Resistance.

Miss Hope retched into her nap-sack again, this time coming out with a large bundle of cloth that she flicked open. Jack watched as it slowly settled over the tall grass, until it finally came to rest and Miss Hope sat down at one side.

"But killing the Duke isn't enough, that's when the Queen also decreed that since Diadem wouldn't give her stones they will still give her jewels – and she started rounding up the most beautiful women to serve in the casino."

Feeling so stupid, Jack couldn't say any thing other then, "I never knew."

"It's why we were called Diamond Girls." Hope says with a shrug.


End file.
